In 2015 Gateacre School in created ‘The BIG Little Library by Gateacre School’ based in Belle Vale Shopping Centre. It’s a gathering place where the community can share their favourite literature and stories.
They created a shop full of books, which have been donated by local residents, businesses, students and the wider community and they then give them away for free.
Since opening they have welcomed over 100,000 customers and given away over 140,000 books. Even when we were closed for the first national lockdown we delivered over 5000 books to foodbanks and children’s centre across Liverpool. Our customers range from our own students, local primary schools, shoppers, residents and the wider community, with many people making specific journeys just to visit us.
They’ve welcomed over 1500 primary school children as part of our free literacy workshops and hold regular events, plus shared reading groups and a very popular knit and natter group.
For the last 5 years they have held a Christmas Book Flood, which is a day when they give away brand new books for free, along with some chocolate, inspired by the Icelandic tradition ‘Jolabokaflod.’
They will be holding this year’s Flood on Saturday 3rd December.
If you can donate a book, please contact Lisa Mitchell via their Facebook page here